[GH-ISSUE #537] FR: Store `client_id` outside dotfiles

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:24 +03:00

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Originally created by @chrisgrieser on GitHub (Aug 8, 2024).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/aome510/spotify-player/issues/537

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
I do version control and publish my .config directory in a GitHub repo, as quite a lot of people do. Thus, Due to the inclusion of the client_id, this results in having to gitignore the ~/.config/spotify_player/app.toml, as otherwise the id would be leaked.

Describe the solution you'd like
Save client_id outside the app.toml, so the remainder of the spotify-player-config can be stored in a public git repo without any trouble.

The client_id could then be read from an environment variable, which one could save in .zshenv.

Alternatively, support something like the password_cmd from spotifyd: https://docs.spotifyd.rs/config/File.html

# This is an alternative to the `password` field. Both
# can't be used simultaneously.
password_cmd = "command_that_writes_password_to_stdout"

Describe alternatives you've considered

gitignoring the app.toml and manually updating it all the time.
symlinking the app.toml into a private cloud storage.

Originally created by @chrisgrieser on GitHub (Aug 8, 2024). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/aome510/spotify-player/issues/537 **Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.** I do version control and publish my `.config` directory in a GitHub repo, as quite a lot of people do. Thus, Due to the inclusion of the `client_id`, this results in having to gitignore the `~/.config/spotify_player/app.toml`, as otherwise the id would be leaked. **Describe the solution you'd like** Save `client_id` outside the `app.toml`, so the remainder of the spotify-player-config can be stored in a public git repo without any trouble. The client_id could then be read from an environment variable, which one could save in `.zshenv`. Alternatively, support something like the `password_cmd` from `spotifyd`: https://docs.spotifyd.rs/config/File.html ```toml # This is an alternative to the `password` field. Both # can't be used simultaneously. password_cmd = "command_that_writes_password_to_stdout" ``` **Describe alternatives you've considered** - gitignoring the `app.toml` and manually updating it all the time. - symlinking the `app.toml` into a private cloud storage.

kerem

2026-03-02 23:46:24 +03:00

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kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@masroof-maindak commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2024):

@aome510 Hi, could you please assign this to me? I've never programmed in Rust before so I'd like to start simple and give this a shot.

@masroof-maindak commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2024): @aome510 Hi, could you please assign this to me? I've never programmed in Rust before so I'd like to start simple and give this a shot.

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@juliamertz commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2024):

@masroof-maindak I have already started work on this, though i can't test it out right now since authentication with spotify is broken. You can check it out here

Edit:
Authentication is working again for me, tested it on Linux and everything works fine. Only need someone on windows to confirm this is working for them as well.

@juliamertz commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2024): @masroof-maindak I have already started work on this, though i can't test it out right now since authentication with spotify is broken. You can check it out [here](https://github.com/juliamertz/spotify-player/tree/private-client-id) Edit: Authentication is working again for me, tested it on Linux and everything works fine. Only need someone on windows to confirm this is working for them as well.

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@masroof-maindak commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2024):

@masroof-maindak I have already started work on this

Oh well, bummer. Thank you for your contribution regardless.

@masroof-maindak commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2024): > @masroof-maindak I have already started work on this Oh well, bummer. Thank you for your contribution regardless.

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@chrisgrieser commented on GitHub (Jan 3, 2025):

@juliamertz Sorry, I am just testing this now, since the authentication was previously broken.

I tried client_id_command = 'cat "/path/to/file"' (with the file containing nothing but the client_id) and it is unfortunately not working for me.

cat "/path/to/file" does output the correct client_id, and setting client_id = "..." also does work fine. I also tried client_id_command = 'cat "/path/to/file"' | tr -d "\n" just in case, but that also does not work.

I am on macOS 14.5 (i386), with spotify_player 0.20.4.

@chrisgrieser commented on GitHub (Jan 3, 2025): @juliamertz Sorry, I am just testing this now, since the authentication was previously broken. I tried `client_id_command = 'cat "/path/to/file"'` (with the file containing nothing but the client_id) and it is unfortunately not working for me. `cat "/path/to/file"` does output the correct client_id, and setting `client_id = "..."` also does work fine. I also tried `client_id_command = 'cat "/path/to/file"' | tr -d "\n"` just in case, but that also does not work. I am on macOS 14.5 (i386), with spotify_player 0.20.4.

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@juliamertz commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025):

@chrisgrieser Looks like your config isn't quite right, can you try putting this in your app.toml?

client_id_command = { command = "cat", args = ["/run/secrets/spotify_client_id"] }

@juliamertz commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025): @chrisgrieser Looks like your config isn't quite right, can you try putting this in your app.toml? ```toml client_id_command = { command = "cat", args = ["/run/secrets/spotify_client_id"] } ```

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@chrisgrieser commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025):

@juliamertz that is also not working for me.

btw, the docs on config options do not mention that client_id_command needs sub-keys, so there is no way to know that from a user perspective.

@chrisgrieser commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025): @juliamertz that is also not working for me. btw, the [docs on config options](https://github.com/aome510/spotify-player/blob/master/docs/config.md#general) do not mention that `client_id_command` needs sub-keys, so there is no way to know that from a user perspective.

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@juliamertz commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025):

@chrisgrieser That's weird, i'm using the exact same option and it's working fine for me.
Can you check the logs in ~/.cache/spotify-player/*.log and verify your configuration is being parsed correctly?

Also there's a bit on using commands here, though i agree this is a bit unclear

@juliamertz commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025): @chrisgrieser That's weird, i'm using the exact same option and it's working fine for me. Can you check the logs in `~/.cache/spotify-player/*.log` and verify your configuration is being parsed correctly? Also there's a bit on using commands [here](https://github.com/aome510/spotify-player/blob/master/docs/config.md#player-event-hook-command), though i agree this is a bit unclear

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@masroof-maindak commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025):

@juliamertz same issue.

When I include the following line in config:

client_id_command = { command = "cat", args = ["~/.cache/spotify_client_id"] }

My app refuses to launch, and this is what I get: https://pastebin.com/Epz0mfxa

Comment it out and it works just fine.

client_id_command = "cat ~/.cache/spotify_client_id"

Doesn't prevent my spotify_player from launching, but it also doesn't work either.

@masroof-maindak commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025): @juliamertz same issue. When I include the following line in config: ```toml client_id_command = { command = "cat", args = ["~/.cache/spotify_client_id"] } ``` My app refuses to launch, and this is what I get: https://pastebin.com/Epz0mfxa Comment it out and it works just fine. ```toml client_id_command = "cat ~/.cache/spotify_client_id" ``` Doesn't prevent my spotify_player from launching, but it also doesn't work either.

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@juliamertz commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025):

client_id_command = "cat ~/.cache/spotify_client_id"
Doesn't prevent my spotify_player from launching, but it also doesn't work either.

This won't actually parse so it'd be treated as a None value and default to client_id

When I include the following line in config:
client_id_command = { command = "cat", args = ["~/.cache/spotify_client_id"] }

I just tried it out with your setup and it looks like you need to specify the full path to the file.
Using ~ in place of /home/user also results in a panic for me

@juliamertz commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025): > ```toml > client_id_command = "cat ~/.cache/spotify_client_id" > ``` > > Doesn't prevent my spotify_player from launching, but it also doesn't work either. This won't actually parse so it'd be treated as a None value and default to `client_id` > When I include the following line in config: > > ```toml > client_id_command = { command = "cat", args = ["~/.cache/spotify_client_id"] } > ``` I just tried it out with your setup and it looks like you need to specify the full path to the file. Using `~` in place of `/home/user` also results in a panic for me

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@masroof-maindak commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025):

client_id_command = "cat ~/.cache/spotify_client_id"
Doesn't prevent my spotify_player from launching, but it also doesn't work either.
This won't actually parse so it'd be treated as a None value and default to client_id
When I include the following line in config:
client_id_command = { command = "cat", args = ["~/.cache/spotify_client_id"] }
I just tried it out with your setup and it looks like you need to specify the full path to the file. Using ~ in place of /home/user also results in a panic for me

Okay, so it boots fine now, and allows me to detect music from my phone, but no longer lists my machine as a 'device' so I can't play music on my own or switch from my phone to my machine.

This goes away once I comment out the client_id_command line.

D in either case does not list my machine as a device.

@masroof-maindak commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2025): > > ```toml > > client_id_command = "cat ~/.cache/spotify_client_id" > > ``` > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Doesn't prevent my spotify_player from launching, but it also doesn't work either. > > This won't actually parse so it'd be treated as a None value and default to `client_id` > > > When I include the following line in config: > > ```toml > > client_id_command = { command = "cat", args = ["~/.cache/spotify_client_id"] } > > ``` > > I just tried it out with your setup and it looks like you need to specify the full path to the file. Using `~` in place of `/home/user` also results in a panic for me Okay, so it boots fine now, and allows me to detect music from my phone, but no longer lists my machine as a 'device' so I can't play music on my own or switch from my phone to my machine. This goes away once I comment out the `client_id_command line`. ![2025-01-05_012959](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/07cf51c8-8587-4728-b434-1b5b537df25c) ![image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4e966873-c1f9-4f9b-adb9-221e620cd0b1) **D** in either case does *not* list my machine as a device.

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@chrisgrieser commented on GitHub (Jan 5, 2025):

@juliamertz I just experimented at bit, and it appears the issue is the trailing newline:

# does not work
client_id_command = { command = "echo", args = ["my-id"] }

# works
client_id_command = { command = "echo", args = ["-n", "my-id"] }

Since shell commands commonly add a newline to their output, this should be dealt with by spotify_player, imho.

@chrisgrieser commented on GitHub (Jan 5, 2025): @juliamertz I just experimented at bit, and it appears the issue is the trailing newline: ```toml # does not work client_id_command = { command = "echo", args = ["my-id"] } ``` ```toml # works client_id_command = { command = "echo", args = ["-n", "my-id"] } ``` Since shell commands commonly add a newline to their output, this should be dealt with by `spotify_player`, imho.

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:26 +03:00

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@reorx commented on GitHub (Jul 10, 2025):

Is it possible to get client id from existing environment variables? I tried the following but it does not work:

client_id_command = { command = "echo", args = ["$SPOTIFY_CLIENT_ID"] }

@reorx commented on GitHub (Jul 10, 2025): Is it possible to get client id from existing environment variables? I tried the following but it does not work: ``` client_id_command = { command = "echo", args = ["$SPOTIFY_CLIENT_ID"] } ```

kerem commented

2026-03-02 23:46:27 +03:00

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@wawwior commented on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025):

D in either case does not list my machine as a device.

This is still the case.

@wawwior commented on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025): > **D** in either case does _not_ list my machine as a device. This is still the case.

kerem referenced this issue

2026-03-02 23:49:29 +03:00

[PR #307] [MERGED] Support open spotify link #710

kerem referenced this issue

2026-03-14 15:25:26 +03:00

[PR #307] [MERGED] Support open spotify link #1648

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[GH-ISSUE #537] FR: Store client_id outside dotfiles #307

[GH-ISSUE #537] FR: Store `client_id` outside dotfiles #307